Published: Tuesday, July 29, 2014 at 01:08 AM.

If the Arendell Parrott Academy graduate had it his way, he would have been a history teacher and football coach.

The sport was all he knew.

“I just grew up loving the game,” Crowder said. “It’s a big deal where I’m from in Alabama. They start playing tackle football down there when you’re 5-years-old at the YMCA. I was kind of born in it.”

Crowder made a prep career out of football, playing with the Patriots since seventh grade. He played for coach Bill Rowe for the duration of his Parrott stint, gaining vivid memories to carry around.

Rowe gave Crowder the nod to start in a semifinal game against Merry Hill Lawrence Academy in 2002. He was only a freshman and Parrott won the game, but Halifax Academy beat the Patriots in the 8-man state championship, 20-12, that year.

If the Arendell Parrott Academy graduate had it his way, he would have been a history teacher and football coach.

The sport was all he knew.

“I just grew up loving the game,” Crowder said. “It’s a big deal where I’m from in Alabama. They start playing tackle football down there when you’re 5-years-old at the YMCA. I was kind of born in it.”

Crowder made a prep career out of football, playing with the Patriots since seventh grade. He played for coach Bill Rowe for the duration of his Parrott stint, gaining vivid memories to carry around.

Rowe gave Crowder the nod to start in a semifinal game against Merry Hill Lawrence Academy in 2002. He was only a freshman and Parrott won the game, but Halifax Academy beat the Patriots in the 8-man state championship, 20-12, that year.

Since his freshman season, the Patriots came close to winning it all: two semifinals and two state championship appearances. But Crowder’s ninth-grade year will never escape his mind.

“Even though we lost in the state championship,” he said, “that’s one season I’ll never forget. It’s probably the most enjoyable season in my whole career.”

The 2006 Parrott graduate continued his football career after being recruited to Greensboro College, where he graduated in just three years. He was the Pride’s all-time tackling leader with 264 career stops until linebacker Allen Stallings broke the record in 2011.

The history major kept football close to him, but when he returned to the Kinston area, he was presented with an unexpected sports opportunity: basketball.

Crowder started coaching the junior varsity basketball program at Bethel Christian Academy four years ago. He also became the youth pastor.

“I accepted the offer, and the rest was history,” he said.

Bethel and basketball

Crowder said he wouldn’t change his coaching career. He currently is at the helm of the Trojans middle school program, which finished undefeated en route to the inaugural Middle School Classic championship at the end of January.

Even when Crowder stepped intothe JV role, the players competed against stiffer competition.

“It was a good learning experience because now those boys, because of those games they played out side of the league, helped contribute a lot to this year’s state championship team,” Crowder said.

The Trojans defeated Alamance Christian, 56-42, earlier this year for the 2A title.

Crowder hasn’t had the chance to coach football, as middle school basketball suffices.

“I absolutely love it,” Crowder said.“I’d rather coach middle school than varsity, if that makes any sense. They’re so teachable. I tell you, they draw as big a crowd as anyone in our area, and it’s just incredible.

“Grandmammas and granddaddies, they all want to come see their middle schooler play, and maybe some of that is lost as they get older.”

Finding his way

When Crowder left Alabama, the guidance of his own grandparents stayed behind.

One man stepped in to fill that void for Crowder, and it was his high school football coach.

The impact Rowe made lives on with his former player.

“Coach Rowe, in my time there, had the greatest influence on my life than any coach I’ve ever had, including college,” Crowder said. “He was like a grandfather, almost father figure to me. I see coach Rowe around town today and I absolutely think the world of him. He had a huge impact on my life, especially when it came to respect and discipline — and I needed some of that.”

He also played basketball and baseball to stay in shape and out of trouble, encouraged to participate by his father although football was the only thing Crowder formerly loved.

Parrott headmaster Bert Bright, who was the defensive coordinator in Crowder’s years, said the former player has a positive influence on the school’s athletics.

“Brick was an intense competitor, gave it everything he had every day at practice,” said Bright, who served as the Patriots’ head coach three years. “He practiced as if he was playing a game. It’s a great trait to have if you’re an athlete. It gives younger kids an opportunity to take a look at who came before them and the example (and) leadership they provided.”

Bright was eager to mention Crowder’s academic prowess as well, as Crowder completed a four-year degree program a year early. Bright also watched Crowder play a few games in Greensboro.

“He was a player-of-the-year caliber college athlete,” Bright said. “Brick Crowder was not only a good athlete, a good student, he was a good person.”

In his young career as a coach, Crowder has already picked up on imperativevalues.

“The one thing I have learned since being at Bethel is that we can use athletics to impact the lives of students,” he said, “and for me, I would say because I’m a Christian, the glory of God.”

Editor’s note: This is the fourth story of a seven-part series about former athletes from area high schools. Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 and Jessika.Morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.